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PORTLAND PILOTS (0-0-0, 0-0-0 WCC)
vs. WASHINGTON HUSKIES (0-0-0, 0-0-0 PAC-12)
Date: Friday, August 19, 2016
Location: Portland, Ore.
Kick-off: 7:00 p.m.
Pitch: Merlo Field (4,892)
Live Video: TheW.tv
Live Stats: PortlandPilots.com
 
POR vs. UW
Overall Series: 28-7-3
Here: 13-5-2
There: 9-2-1
Neutral: 6-0-0
Last: @UW 2, POR 1 (Sept. 17, 2015)
 
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots kickoff the 2016 campaign at home this week with a match Friday night against long-time rival Washington at Merlo Field.
• The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. between the Pilots and Huskies, who are receiving a vote in the NSCAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Friday night is Camper Reunion night on The Bluff, meaning any kids wearing their Portland Soccer Camp t-shirt to the game will receive free admission.
 
NEXT WEEK
• The Pilots remain at home next week when they welcome crosstown rival Portland State to Merlo Field on Friday, Aug. 26; kickoff for the Pilots and Vikings is set for 5:30 p.m., and the game will be followed by a UP men's match against Wright State.
• Next Friday is also the University of Portland's new student orientation weekend, and the soccer double header will be preceded by the always popular Bite on The Bluff.
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
• Despite adding seven newcomers to the roster, the Pilots feature a veteran squad returning 14 letterwinners and eight starters.
• Leading the list of returners is 2015 All-WCC Second Team selection Allison Wetherington, a senior midfielder from Acworth, Ga.; Wetherington, who was voted to the Preseason All-WCC Team for the second straight year, led the Pilots in points (11) and assists last year (5).
• Fellow senior Ellie Boon was also selected to the all-league second team last year, and both Boon and Wetherington were part of a recruiting class that was ranked fifth in the nation back in 2013.
• Senior goalkeeper Hanna de Haan ranks ninth all-time at Portland with a career saves percentage of .800; she's also currently 10th all-time in overall career saves with 79.
• Five of Portland's seven newcomers hail from the Portland metropolitan area.
• Lucy Davidson (Scappoose, Ore./Scappoose HS), Rachel Khaw (Hillsboro, Ore./Liberty HS), Brianna Miyama (Hillsboro, Ore./Hillsboro HS), Natalie Muth (Scappoose, Ore./Scappoose HS) and Rylee Seekins (Vancouver, Wash./Hockinson HS) all call the Portland/Vancouver area home, while Larkin Russell (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) and Kimberly Hazlett (Bellingham, Wash./Squalicum HS) hail from Washington.
• The Pilots will be looking to return to the playoffs in 2016 after advancing to the post-season during 21 of the past 24 seasons.
• Portland won the NCAA National Championship in 2002 and in 2005, and the 2005 team will be inducted into the UP Athletics Hall of Fame in October.
• The Pilots were selected to finish sixth in the WCC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Head coach Garrett Smith, who has been named WCC Coach of the Year six times, enters his 14th year at the helm of the Pilots.
• Smith, a Portland men's soccer alum, has posted a career overall record of 208-58-20 (.762), while guiding the Pilots to a remarkable 73-18-8 (.778) mark in the WCC.
• Also back on the Portland bench is former Pilot midfielder Lisa Chambers, who enters her 10th year as an assistant coach.
• Goalkeeping coach and UP alum Angela Harrison returns for her second season on the women's soccer staff.
• Currently, four of Portland's 2016 opponents are ranked in the NSCAA coaches' poll, while two others are receiving votes.
• The Pilots have led the nation in attendance during 10 of the last 11 years.
 
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
• Washington has reached the postseason five times in the past eight years, including a first-round appearance in 2015; the Huskies have totaled 21 NCAA berths overall.
• Junior Shannon Simon leads 19 returning letterwinners for UW; the midfielder led the team last year in goals (7), assists (5) and points (19).
• The Huskies add six freshmen to roster this fall.
• Lesle Gallimore is the longest tenured head coach in the Pac-12, totaling 22 years at UW; she's posted a 263-203-48 overall record.
• The Pilots and Huskies have met on the pitch a total of 38 times, with the Pilots winning 27 of those games in a series that dates back to 1982; the Huskies defeated the Pilots 2-1 last year in Seattle.